Wisconsin's potato farmers give to the hungry

Wisconsin potato growers are collaborating with the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Associati…

Wisconsin potato growers are collaborating with the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) and Feeding America to provide food for people in the Badger State and the Midwest, by donating potatoes to various food banks.

What began as seed potatoes produced for a USDA-funded research grant in Wisconsin's northwoods region of Eagle River, turned into an 1800 cwt (hundredweight) potato donation, an amount that fills four semis.

Ron Krueger is the farm manager of Eagle River Seed Farm LLC, and grew the seed now being donated. He says with this grant being scaled back to smaller trials going forward, giving these potatoes to people who need and will appreciate them was an obvious choice.

"I feel good!" Krueger says of the loads as they headed from his facility to be washed and packaged at another location. "I see what's going on in the world, and really appreciate being able to do something that benefits people and our local communities."

Once leaving Eagle River, the semis headed south to Gumz Muck Farms in Endeavor, WI where the potatoes were washed, packed and shipped to their final destination at select Feeding America foodbanks the first three weeks in April.

Feeding America's Regional Fresh Produce Sourcer Molly Jakubek worked with WPVGA and the growers to bridge the gap to the food banks and ultimately, people's plates.